u/Jumpy_Programmer_472

Hello, Ive been thinking about career changing into IAM analyst but i am unsure on how to break into my first position as I have zero background in IAM and IT field.

Background of me: I have BFA Degree in Graphic Design. I have some experience working as graphic designer (two internships + 6month full time) and currently i am working at a dental lab as a manager (its been about 6 months now). I am 26 years old male with citizenship living in Virginia if that matters.

I asked chatgpt and it said to build a home lab but i wasnt sure if building home lab is really enough to get my first position in this field, or should i tackle this differnetly.

I’m a 26-year-old Korean American male living in Northern Virginia. I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design (not an art school) and landed my first full-time job after a couple of internships. Unfortunately, I was terminated after 6 months and haven’t been able to find another position since.

I thought I did a decent job, but being terminated made me question whether this field is really for me or if I simply don’t have enough talent. On top of that, a former internship owner told me that most companies don’t hire graphic designers for long-term full-time roles unless they’re large corporations. That made me feel like graphic design isn’t a stable career path.

After being unemployed for over 6 months, I felt completely stuck and my self-esteem hit rock bottom. While unemployed, I decided to visit Korea (my birth country) to see relatives and friends and consider studying a new field (I was thinking about becoming a Data Center Technician).

While I was in Korea, my girlfriend (now ex) asked for time apart to reconsider our relationship. She was under heavy stress trying to secure a work visa as an international graduate, and if it didn’t work out, marriage might have been necessary soon. I told her multiple times that we could get married earlier if needed, but she didn’t believe I was serious—mainly because I went to Korea after being unemployed for 6 months with little savings.

She wanted a one-month break, during which my self-esteem dropped even further. I started believing she deserved someone better than me. We dated for over 4 years, and I was serious about marrying her if the visa situation didn’t go well. After the break, we talked a few times, and I ultimately decided to end the relationship. She didn’t want to, but I had no confidence left in myself. Being unemployed made it worse. I felt that if we stayed together, I wouldn’t grow as a person and would stay stuck forever.

I know breaking up was partly running away, and I do regret it at times, but I still believe it was the right decision. If I stayed comfortable with her by my side, I don’t think I would’ve pushed myself to get my life together.

After the breakup, a friend reached out and offered me a job at his dad’s dental lab. Since I had no clear direction, I accepted. I spoke with his dad the day I returned from Korea, and he told me he plans to retire eventually and wants to mentor me so I can take over the lab in the future.

I’ve been working there for a little over a month. He says I need to learn everything about running the lab over the next 10 years to take over when he retires (sharing some equity with him), though it could be shorter depending on how fast I learn.

The people are nice, and his dad treats me well—he even says he considers me like another son. However, it’s a small Korean-owned business with red flags like no sick days or overtime pay. Those aren’t my biggest concern. What worries me is that I’m essentially betting my future on his promise.

From my research, dental labs don’t pay well unless you own the business. Even if I do take over, I’m not sure that life is ideal. I see him coming in earlier than everyone, leaving later than everyone, and even working weekends. He tells me I need to work and study hard for the next 10 years, but I’m not sure if it’s worth it given how demanding his life looks.

I haven’t shared most of these concerns with him yet. The last time I asked about the future, I felt like he might be sugarcoating things to keep me there. I still need income, so I plan to stay for about 3 more months to see if this path makes sense, though I worry my judgment is clouded because he’s my friend’s dad. At the same time, I really want financial success, and business ownership feels like the most realistic way to achieve that.

I ended a 4-year relationship because I believed I wasn’t enough and needed to grow. Now I feel pressure to succeed, or that breakup feels meaningless. I still don’t know what I’m good at or what I should pursue. Wanting financial stability and long-term security while being unsure of my strengths is destroying my mental health. I’m constantly anxious, and my self-esteem keeps dropping.

So I’m stuck with these questions:

• Should I keep working under my friend’s dad?
• If I don’t take over the lab, is the dental lab field even worth staying in?
• If I do take over, is it worth committing 10 years of my life?
• If this isn’t the right path, what should I realistically do next?

I want a stable, decently high-paying career—enough to support a future family—without constantly worrying about layoffs or AI replacing my job. I know this may sound greedy or unrealistic, especially since I don’t even know what I’m good at yet, but I’m willing to work hard as long as the effort is actually worth it in the end.

Thank you so much for spending your time to read all these. I know this is a very long post and I am not very good with my words so it might even sounded boring and confusing. Any advise is greatly appreciated!